My Squash, My Pumpkin

Note: For consistency, I use the term “pumpkin” throughout this article.

This magnificent orange ball is my favorite vegetable in the world, and I’m guilty of calling it squash or pumpkin, depending on what comes out of my mouth first.

Even the most erudite foodie would be hard-pressed to tell you the difference between a squash and a pumpkin. Both terms are applied inconsistently and used loosely to describe certain varieties of both these species. Pumpkins and squash are members of the gourd family, cousins to the watermelon. An internet search and a riff through my numerous food encyclopedias aren’t much help. Some of the things I discover only end up confusing me even more:

“Generally speaking a pumpkin is something you carve, a squash is something you cook and a gourd is something you look at.” (Uh, ok…)

“Orange color sometimes helps determine what is a pumpkin. (Winter) squash have a finer texture and milder flavor, pumpkins have a somewhat coarse, stronger flavor and are generally orange in color.” (So does this mean that if it’s orange, it’s a pumpkin?)

See what I mean by muddling? And then there’s the issue of winter and summer squash, a topic that I won’t get into here because in the Philippines, we only have one type of pumpkin which is commonly called kalabasa, and it’s categorized as a winter squash. Call it what you want.

I’m in love with pumpkins and how they look. So entranced was I once with some carnival squash (middle in above photo) at a Paris market that I was tempted to buy some and stow them in my carry-on so that I could look at them on the long flight back to Manila. My Bin told me I was out of my mind ”“ he’s not at all fond of pumpkin. One of my favorite restaurants, Red, has a stupendous roasted pumpkin that’s served as a side dish. So good is it that it’s often reason enough for me to make a trip there.

With its looks and high marks in nutrition (a rich source of Vitamin A ”“ promotes vision and bone growth!) pumpkins inspire a savory cuisine: pinakbet (assorted vegetables in shrimp paste), guinataang kalabasa at sitaw (pumpkin and string beans in coconut milk), and sometimes in pochero (stewed beef with vegetables). If I can get away with putting it in, it’s going in.

butternut squash

As a sweet, pumpkin is more than just an ingredient. It’s evocative of autumn, but since there’s none of that in Manila, I say that it reminds me of cooler air, feasts, and family. I know I certainly can’t say the same about, say, ampalaya (bitter melon). When I make pumpkin pie ”“ which tastes like chai, don’t you think? ”“ the kitchen is awash in waves of cinnamon and nutmeg and candied ginger along with its topping of brown sugar, butter, and roasted pecans.

This pumpkin rhapsody is brought on by a chef I’ve just met, who, learning about my passion for pumpkin during my interview of him, gifts me with this glorious variety from Australia (see above photo). Not knowing what kind of pumpkin it is, I do a search and discover that this “basketball” is called an ambercup pumpkin, a relative of the butternut squash. Weighing in at just over four pounds, I zip home and set about making pumpkin soup and pumpkin lasagna.

While there are several ways to cook a pumpkin, I prefer to roast it in the oven, which allows its sugars to sweeten and condense. After 45 minutes, I brush the now-tender chunks of pumpkin with a spread of butter and brown sugar to further caramelize the vegetable’s sweetness.

For the soup, it’s a simple put-together of chicken broth, carrots, onions, the pumpkin, pepper, and to intensify the color and add a dimension of flavor, I thrown in some native camote (sweet potato), the one with ivory-colored skin. The soup is finished with a dollop of heavy cream for a velvety feel.

As for the lasagna, I wanted to use whole-wheat lasagna noodles that I found in the supermarket. But since I’m the only one in the household that eats whole-wheat products, I stick with standard semolina flour (white) noodles. There are three layers here in my “orange” lasagna: the bottom of the pan is spread with some cream so that the noodles won’t stick to the glass. On goes a layer of lasagna noodles followed by a cottage cheese-Parmesan cheese mixture. On top of that goes some strips of kesong puti (native white cheese) followed by even more noodles. The last layer is a blend of ricotta cheese that I mix with some fresh spinach that’s been blanched and seasoned with pepper. The remainder of the kesong puti finishes the dish. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes until heated through and there I have it! Pumpkin has an affinity for nutmeg, its warm heat gives a remarkable depth of flavor, so both dishes are given healthy dashes of it.

I only cook at home when I’m thoroughly inspired, and this is one of those times. Unfortunately, Boo refuses to try what I’ve made — she’s alarmed at the vibrancy of the dishes, and she knows lasagna, one of her favorite foods, to be red and not orange. My Bin, on the other hand, doesn’t share my preference for pumpkin. He likes the soup which is chowder-thick and sweet, even polishing off a bowl with a slice of crusty bread. But the lasagna: “It tastes so… so… vegetarian, Lor.” I burst out laughing. My meat-and-potatoes man, that’s my husband.

As for me, my spirits are through the roof and over the moon at the success of my dishes. The soup is just wonderful, and the lasagna is a mélange of orange and green, creamy and soft, with that indefinable but fine whisper of nutmeg.

Comments

I love kalabasa. It’s the first vegetable I fell in love with. Knowing it’s loaded with vitamin and other healthy stuff, I couldn’t quite understand why – when I was growing up – the word “kalabasa” meant zero or was equated with low marks in school. And it’s not exactly round to even merit that bad connotation. I hope the word kalabasa is no longer being used in that context. Glad you wrote about this unsung hero of the vegetable world – and even more glad that you’re writing again 🙂

I love my kalabasa in a poor man’s Ukoy: grated and mixed with lots of shrimp and fried. Served with vinegar and chopped onions & chili. Glad you’re back… I check your site everyday hoping for a sign of life and now I’m rewarded hehe. Keep ’em coming, only when you can, of course.

Lori! Feel free to send some lasagna my way if Bin and Boo are not eating any and you need to unload 🙂 I love squash too and that lasagna looks and sounds fantastic! Squash soup is one of my favorites, but again, I just can’t get over how pretty that lasagna looks and how yummy it sounds!

LOVE pumpkin! Do you know that Felipe is completely incapable of seeing pumpkin soup on the menu and *not* ordering it? Your soup looks just the way we like it — super thick and pumpkiny. We like it with some bacon, too.

And I think your lasagna is gorgeous! Squash, spinach, plus FOUR kinds of cheese??? I echo Joey — send some over! I’ll even pick it up from you! 😉

One of my favorite kalabasa dishes is one that has banana hearts, shrimp, and coconut milk. Yum, yum, yum!!! 😛

Pumpkins, squash, gourds, OH MY! What incredible ideas you have just handed me! That lasagna looks amazing, I’m salivating over my computer screen as I type. You should totally enter this sweepstakes I know of. I work with Bon Appetit, and we have a sweepstakes where you can win a trip to NYC and dine with the editors as well as tour the studios and sets of the Food Network. Heres the li”¢http://condenast.eprize.net/bonappetit/index.tbapp?affiliate_id=1i nk ,
Please dont hesitate to enter, your ideas deserve a broader audience!

Oh man. I’m no fan of squash or pumpkin (aside from pumpkin pie), but this entry makes me want to rethink my position–that lasagna especially (I’m a meat-and-potatoes man, but I date a vegetarian, and that’d be a perfect dish to cook together).

yipee!! you’re posting again.. am glad your back, i really missed your posts!!! our family loves pumpkin/squash especially in pakbet or with gata.. am glad my kids eat all the veggies i place on the table.. this one is one of the many in their list.. love ‘squashing them” with their rice.. just like joey and katrina, i don’t mind eating your leftovers of the lasagna.. am drooling already.. 🙂

Oh yum! I love pumpkin, but I’m the only one in my house who does (but I do have a convert to whole-wheat pasta, so there is hope). I’m going to make some of that delicious looking lasagne and freeze it for myself- it’s worth the effort.

Great ideas! I love pumpkin. I used to stir-fry it with a bit of bagoong. My only problem is preparing it – I have such a hard time removing the skin and chopping the raw bits. Do you have any tips on how to better prepare this?

Also, I wanted to ask – do you find that whole wheat pasta easily absorbs sauce? I tried making pasta salad with whole wheat fusili, and after a day in the refrigerator my dressing was all gone, and the salad was oddly tasteless. 🙁

That is a perfectly autumnal lasagna, orange and green, with hints of white to forecast the coming winter. Lovely colors. Did you serve it with a roast pumpkin cream sauce?

I once went to a Texas bbq place where we had a wonderful side dish of roasted pumpkin and roasted sweet potatoes. Wow! Perfectly sweet without the addition of sugar; we added a tablespoon of butter and mushed to complement the tender ribs.

I am in love with pumpkin!! I credit you for introducing me to pumpkin as well! I ordered it the night after I read your post about Red. Since then, I’ve been back for the pumpkin 5 or so times more since it’s rare to find it elsewhere in Manila. I was exstatic to see S&R selling them recently! I bought some immediately and roasted them with brown sugar and butter. It was deeelish!

As a lover of creamy, rich, smooth Pumpkin soup myself, I admire your twist on the pumpkin lasagna. I might have to try that some time, although I’m already reluctant knowing that the other members of our household have a dominant carnivore in them.

Lori dear,
Do join Rene’s Gourmet magazine contest. When I shared your food blog with friends, they were absolutely floored by your beautiful writing, styling & photography that they had suggested then that you should be writing for Gourmet magazine & the sorts! You indeed deserve a broader audience.
Glad to readyour new posts, only in your own time frame – we’ll always be here.

Pumpkin/squash/kalabasa is my second favorite veggie, next to eggplant (go figure). My husband absolutely loves pumpkin soup (with a dash of curry instead of nutmeg) and I love it in gata, but I’ve never tried (have wanted to!) putting it in between layers of lasagna noodles. I had tried veggie lasagna that had strips of pumpkin in it, but couldn’t figure out the cream sauce. Please do share your recipe, dear! Thanks!

hi lori! my daughters are readers of your blog.we grow specialty produce for some niche market here.recently we harvested pumpkin and squash like the spaghetti veg squash,which to me is a miracle.it smells and tastes sooo gooood. it is a healthier substitute for pasta.do you have any recipes for that? do you want some samples? we can send you some.:) thanks.

I purchased a pumpkin-looking squash at a local farmer’s market and just roasted it in the oven. The producer gave me a different name for it, but my search indicates it is an Ambercup. My plan was to make a pie or bread or bars, since I really don’t care for squash. However, the aroma while roasting was heavenly and I tasted a bit of it. I may be a convert and will definitely try a squash soup this fall.
“When I make pumpkin pie – which tastes like chai, don’t you think? – the kitchen is awash in waves of cinnamon and nutmeg and candied ginger along with its topping of brown sugar, butter, and roasted pecans.” Yes!

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